Emmanuel Stepanovich Schiffers was born in St. Petersburg. He held the title of Russian champion for ten years before finally being defeated by his student, Mikhail Chigorin, in 1880. He competed with success in many international events, finishing sixth at Hastings 1895 and defeating Semion Alapin in match play. Schiffers also played a match against ex-world champion Wilhelm Steinitz in 1896 but lost (+4, =1, -6).

"Russian chess master; born of German parents at St. Petersburg May 4, 1850; died there Dec. 12, 1904. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native city, studying in the classical, physical, and mathematical faculties. In 1871 he became a private tutor."

"Schiffers began to play chess when about fifteen, and within five years had made such progress that he defeated Tochoumoff and others of equal standing. He continued to advance until he became the leading player in Russia. In 1873 he first played with Tchigorin, to whom he then gave the odds of a knight. During the following seven years the pupil came to play a stronger game than his teacher, and in 1880 Schiffers lost the championship of Russia to Tchigorin. He has won matches against Alapin, Chardin, and Mitropolsky; and at the International Tournament held at Hastings, England, in 1895, at which twenty-two masters competed, Schiffers gained sixth prize."

marekg248: Thanks, it's interesting to know, that such a great player like Chigorin had a teacher. It is a necessity nowadays for players wanting to achieve success, but I used to think that until approximately the 1930's it was largely due to the natural endowment that players were strong. Did Capablanca have a teacher? Maybe not, and if so, maybe it was an exception.

keypusher: From Tarrasch's 1906 article on Pillsbury, which also discussed other cases of mental illness among chessplayers. The full translation and German original are on the Tarrasch page.

<The St. Petersburger Schiffers was broadly cultivated, highly intelligent man, with a splendid sense of humor <von prachtvollem Humor – maybe “splendid temperament” is better?>, a lively conversationalist, amiable in company <Verkehr>, in short, as the student song says, “a fellow like velvet and silk, the only harm, is that he drinks!” <”ein Kerl wie Samt und Seide, nur schade, dass er suff!”>. This he did with great consistency, and so it is no wonder, that he went to the madhouse several times, and a greater or shorter time after his release, each time relapsed. His disease was: alcoholic psychosis; chess had nothing to do with this. He never showed any particular strain playing chess; rather in tournaments he always played well “con amore,” as if nothing were at stake <sondern spielte in Turnieren immer so recht con amore, als ob es um gar nichts ginge>. Nevertheless, he achieved well-known, beautiful successes <Gleichwohl hat er bekanntlich recht huebsche Erfolge erzielt>. His sympathetic personality was known to all who met him and remains in memory. Every man has weaknesses, and every man must die, one sooner, others later, one from this, others from that disease; in fact we all die – to Life! <Swachen hat jeder Mensch, und sterben muss ebenfalls jeder Mensch, die eine fruher, der andere spater, der eine an dieser, der andere an jener Krankheit, in Grunde genommen sterben wir alle – am Leben!>>

Thanks. Looking back at my ugly translation, it occurs to me that “con amore” probably meant "for love" rather than "with love." Tarrasch is saying that he played casually and easily in tournaments, as if in a skittles match.

<nescio>, <whiteshark>, and anyone else who knows, any thoughts you have are welcome.

Could you explain what the differnce is between "for love" and "with love" in this case? I always have trouble with such prepositions in English and both phrases seem to have a similar meaning to me.

That's also true for the last words "to life". Tarrasch is saying that life is always the cause of death (the dash is just there to indicate a short pause if you say it aloud). I would choose "from life" or "of life", whatever the usual phrase is in English, but perhaps "to life" also has a similar meaning with which I'm not familiar. It looks like a toast to life to me.

<Could you explain what the differnce is between "for love" and "with love" in this case? I always have trouble with such prepositions in English and both phrases seem to have a similar meaning to me.>

Sorry, I never answered this. There is an idiomatic expression "for love" (as opposed to "for money," I think) which simply means playing without stakes.

I think it has more or less fallen out of use, in the United States at least.

(The news of the great Russian chess master's passing came not as a surprise. In early spring, E. Schiffers fell and suffered an injury he never fully recovered from. On 29th November (12th December) a peaceful death put an end to his suffering.)

It is also mentioned that Schiffers spoke German, English, Russian and French. Furthermore, he was so good at drawing and painting (self-taught) that he was allowed to copy in the imperial hermitage.

From pages 377-378 of the 1904 'Wiener Schachzeitung' though originally from the 'St. Petersburger Zeitung' 1904.12.17.

zanzibar: <A report to hand from London confirms the statement, previously cabled, that E. Schifffers, the Russian chess expert, has gone insane. It appears that be has been sent to the St. Nicholas Asylum for the Insane at St. Petersburg. It was after the conclusion of the national chess tournament at Moscow, in which he took the second prize, that the first distressing symptoms manifested themselves. It was during his return trip from Moscow to St. Petersburg that the malady assumed a violent form.>

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